Otago Uni student's 'senseless' death prompts coroner's warning on binge drinking

A coroner has issued a “critical” warning about the life-threatening effects of excessive alcohol consumption after a 20-year-old Otago University student died after becoming heavily intoxicated at a party in 2023.

Associate Coroner Emma Van Son ruled that the first-year student died from asphyxia after aspirating gastric contents while unconscious.

Toxicology results showed a blood alcohol level of 319 milligrams per 100 millilitres, more than six times New Zealand’s legal driving limit for adults.

In her findings, Associate Coroner Van Son described the death as “senseless” and a “woeful illustration of the prevalent youth drinking culture in New Zealand”, warning that unconscious drinkers should never be left to “sleep it off” and should instead receive immediate medical attention.

“It is critical that young drinkers, particularly, appreciate the seriousness of the dangers of binge drinking, and know what to do if someone becomes unresponsive after drinking,” she said.

The student – whose name has been permanently suppressed – attended a birthday celebration at a Dunedin flat on September 30, 2023, arriving about 6.40pm.

He went on to consume an unknown quantity of alcohol before becoming heavily intoxicated.

Paramedics were called to the party but could not save the student. Photo / NZME

Associate Coroner Van Son heard that the 20-year-old was later found passed out and “pretty much unresponsive” in the kitchen. He then started vomiting.

They decided to carry him to a bedroom and put him to bed. He continued to throw up, and one of the young people present checked for a pulse in his throat.

It was unclear from the evidence whether the student was left alone or whether someone remained with him.

A witness described “a big group of people” clearing vomit from the student’s throat before he became pulseless and blue in the face.

Emergency services were contacted at about 11.25pm. The student was carried into the hallway of the flat and was described as looking very pale. His face was starting to turn purple; he was not breathing, and CPR was commenced by partygoers before being continued by paramedics.

Despite extensive efforts to revive him, he was pronounced dead at 12.16am on October 1, 2023.

Following a post-mortem examination, a pathologist found the student’s death was consistent with asphyxia due to the aspiration of gastric contents while intoxicated.

The pathologist advised that “the key mechanism in alcohol related aspiration deaths is depressed consciousness and blunted protective airway reflexes (cough and gag reflex) from intoxication”.

“This allows vomitus to enter the airway rather than be expelled or swallowed normally,” he said.

Ambulance staff described finding “large chunks” of food in the student’s upper airways.

The inhalation of vomit was also confirmed during the post-mortem examination, which found vomit in the student’s trachea, bronchi and bronchioles.

The student died at a party held at a Dunedin flat. Photo / NZME

A toxicologist told the coroner that alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that exerts its effects in a manner similar to general anaesthetics.

Where alcohol is concerned, there is a “fine line” between anaesthesia and death, the toxicologist advised, warning that if a person becomes unconscious as a result of heavy alcohol consumption, there is always a risk that the person could die.

“Fatalities are more commonly attributed to alcohol when the post-mortem blood alcohol concentrations are in the range from 300 to 500 milligrams per 100 millilitres,” the toxicologist said.

Witnesses told the voroner it was unusual for the student to “get that drunk”.

While there was no evidence of the type or quantity of alcohol consumed, nor the period over which he drank, Associate Coroner Van Son said it was obvious from the toxicology results that he had consumed a very significant quantity of alcohol before his death.

Police found no suspicious circumstances and no evidence to indicate the involvement of any other person in the student’s death.

“The student’s death was the tragic consequence of excessive alcohol consumption by a young person,” Associate Coroner Van Son said.

“His death was senseless and is a woeful illustration of the prevalent youth drinking culture in New Zealand.

“Sadly, the student’s death is not an isolated incident.”

The University of Otago today welcomed and endorsed the coroner’s recommendations and comments.

“Our thoughts remain with our student’s family, whānau and friends following this tragic loss,” a spokeswoman said.

“The safety and wellbeing of our students remain our top priorities, and we will continue to communicate regularly with students about responsible consumption of alcohol.

“As well as proactive communications, the University has a range of services available dedicated to supporting students’ safety, health and wellbeing, including clinicians with specialist drug and alcohol harm expertise.”

Associate Coroner Van Son said she hoped greater public awareness of the risks associated with binge drinking would reduce the chance of similar deaths.

“At very high levels, alcohol can cause a person to become unconscious,” she said.

“As a result, that person has less control of breathing and is in danger of their airway becoming blocked, particularly if they vomit and aspirate on their gastric contents.

“While your first instinct may be to let a friend who has passed out ‘sleep it off’, it is important to know that things can go from bad to worse quickly when someone drinks enough to lose consciousness.”

Coroner Emma Van Son has given a "critical" warning about binge drinking after the death of a student at a Dunedin party. Photo / NZME

Coroner Van Son said visible signs of acute alcohol intoxication included confusion, vomiting, seizures, blue-looking or pale skin, being unco-ordinated and stumbling, passing out and being unable to be woken, and slow or irregular breathing.

“If a person becomes unconscious due to the effects of alcohol, the safest first aid treatment is to call for an ambulance and let properly trained medical professionals assess that person,” she urged.

She also highlighted advice from Hato Hone St John Ambulance and Health New Zealand.

“Do not leave them alone. Treat this as an emergency. Call 111. You will not get into trouble for taking action,” she assured.

The coroner imposed suppression orders prohibiting the publication of the student’s name at the request of his family.

“The Coroner’s Court is a therapeutic jurisdiction, which strives to operate in a people-centric manner,” she said.

“For those closest to the deceased, the matters the court deals with will often be some of the most traumatic and difficult periods in their lives.”

She said publicity surrounding a loved one’s death, sometimes years after the event, had the potential to have “a retraumatising effect”.

The family had highlighted the significant impact the student’s death had had, and continued to have, on them.

Associate Coroner Van Son said “there is a real and appreciable risk that the publication of the student’s name would cause harm” to one family member in particular.

She extended her “deepest condolences” to the student’s family, friends and loved ones for their “very sad loss”.

The coroner’s findings came soon after the release of Stats NZ data showing alcohol consumption per capita has fallen to 5.98 litres of pure alcohol, down roughly a third since 2011, with New Zealand’s consumption now among the lowest OECD countries.

Anna Leask is a senior journalist who covers Christchurch issues and national crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2008 and has worked as a journalist for more than 20 years with a particular focus on family and gender-based violence, child abuse, sexual violence and homicides. She writes, hosts and produces the award-winning podcast A Moment In Crime, released monthly on nzherald.co.nz.